1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus and a method of controlling the same, and relates to for example, a technique that is suitable when used in controlling the image pickup apparatus such as a video camera having a function of performing image effect of fade processing and the like on a recording signal or a reproduced signal.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, as an image effect, fade effects such as fade-in in which the entire screen first gradually appears on the imaging screen from a white screen or a black screen as time passes and then the entire image which is being output from image pickup element (through image) appears, and a fade-out in which the through image first appears and gradually changes to end in the white screen or the black screen as time passes are known.
Such fade function includes a function in which the fade-in operation is not performed until the recording medium is set in the camera main body, the fade function selected by the user from a plurality of fade functions is set to an enabled state, and the photographed image is recorded.
However, conventionally, since the image effect process of fade, wipe and the like selected by the user is performed only after the recording medium such as tape is inserted and the photographed image is recorded, the operation of fade effect selected before photograph recording could not be checked. Thus, it was difficult to determine which effect carries out what kind of operation, when the image effect is selected, and the image photographed using the fade effect the user did not intend may be recorded.
When the image effect process such as the selected fade, wipe and the like is applied during recording, a series of image effect operations are performed in real time during photographing, and thus it takes a long time until the user is able to check the operation of the selected image effect.
Further, in order to check the operation of the image effect, the actual recordation must be performed, and the procedures of selecting and setting a desired effect from a plurality of actual image effects and then recording must be carried out, and thus it takes a long time until a desired fade function is selected and thus the photographer may miss an important scene.
According to the present invention, the check on what kind of operation the fade function currently selected performs can be made in a short period of time.